


The Most Special Date

by AerithFaremis



Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: ClerithWeek2020, Eternity, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:54:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AerithFaremis/pseuds/AerithFaremis
Summary: Cloud wants to share a special date with his wife, Aerith.[Clerith Week 2020 - Day 3 - Prompt: Eternity]
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Comments: 4
Kudos: 29





	The Most Special Date

**CLERITH WEEK DAY 3 (09/2)**

**Prompt: _Eternity_**

**-The Most Special Date-**

Cloud Strife noticed how his left leg trembled slightly as he sat at the table of that elegant and familiar restaurant waiting for his longed-for companion to arrive. To relax, he decided to focus on the candle flame in front of his blue eyes, noting the swaying movement and its red color. The candle smelled very good, it had a light essence of cinnamon and vanilla that slowly calmed his senses. But when he remembered why he was there, his poor heart beat again quickly and strongly.

He bit his wrinkled lip and put on the knot of his tie with trembling fingers. Why did she take so long to come? He was feeling entirely desperate for her arrival, but of one thing he was entirely sure: the woman would come. His wife would never stand him up, not just on a date, but in any situation in his life.

The two had spent many moments together throughout their respective existences: They had saved the world, tried to set up their own business (he was a delivery service and she was a florist), had had a daughter - which meant following the path of parenthood, caring for her and protecting her - the occasional economic crisis, the loss of dear friends who, over the years, were leaving the Planet... but always, whatever happened, they stayed together, supporting each other, both in moments of light and in moments of darkness. They were always Cloud and Aerith.

Then he heard the door of the restaurant open and looked over his shoulder, pulling a lock of gray hair out of his blue eyes so he could see better. He stood up as fast as he could, holding his cane and took the yellow lily he had on the table, which he had gotten especially for her, and held it in his hand, waiting for her with a smile.

Oh, Aerith. She was the most beautiful woman on the planet and now that she was older, her mature beauty and elegance made her look iconic. With her silver hair in a braid, her green eyes vibrated with the same intensity as when she was twenty-two, and her pink lips managed to illuminate the whole place without the need of a single light. She looked very pretty in that dark pink dress. She saw him and gave him the best of her smiles, the ones she always had for him, the ones that made his days better.

The waiter accompanied her to the table and, with a wave of his hand, guided her to Cloud as he said:

"Your date has arrived, sir".

Cloud held out the yellow flower and Aerith took it in her thin hands, with tenderness:

"Our flower. I love how you remember our little details," she muttered.

"I could never forget that," he answered, with a wink and a voice that was a little hoarser with the passing of the years. He slowly bent down and kissed her on the cheek, while she closed her eyes enjoying the loving gesture. "You look beautiful."

"You look very handsome in that blue sweater too. Our daughter had the best of ideas when she gave it to you."

The two sat facing each other and Cloud felt his heart skip a beat. Under the candlelight, Aerith looked even more beautiful.

"It was for my seventy-seventh birthday, remember?"

"How could I forget? That chocolate cake was delicious. Besides, it was the last time all our friends were there..." she explained, nostalgically. He smiled too, with a certain melancholy, but then he shook his head, with a hopeful thought crossing his mind:

" They are still with us. You told me yourself, that you felt them close. Even I think I talk to one of them sometime," he confessed, caressing one of her hands gently.

"It is true. They have never left us," she added, with a loving smile.

The waiter brought them water and took their command.

"You know," said Aerith, drawing his attention, after drinking some water "As I was coming here I was wondering what the reason for this special date would be. Our anniversary was last month, so I ruled out that option" she laughed, looking into his blue eyes, the ones she loved to look at so much and which had told her so many stories during the almost sixty years they had been married.

"Well," he said, blushing slightly. She felt a wave of tenderness invade her, at eighty-three years old, Cloud was still blushing just like when he was twenty-one, with the same surprised face and innocent look. "Now that we are taking care of our grandson while Sun and her husband work hard, we have almost no time for each other and I wanted us to enjoy a night alone. That's why I wanted it to be special."

"And it is, Cloud," she assured him, holding his hand in hers. "Our grandson is growing up so fast, remember when you were changing his diapers and that day...?

"Oh, no, don't even remind me," he said, rolling his eyes as Aerith burst out laughing "that very moment I realized that our grandson would be a rebel," he said, although his wife had tears of laughter in her eyes from her giggles and ended up infecting him with her infectious joy, he chuckled as well. The two shared a good laugh for a few moments of genuine happiness and Aerith said, with a sigh:

"Sun and her husband are doing a splendid job. That child could not have better parents."

"Yes, well, his grandparents are the best too, don't forget" he winked at her and she smiled tenderly, blushing a little. It was amazing how, after so many years, he still had that supernatural appeal that was like a magnetism to her.

A while later, they began to eat, sharing several things they had seen on TV, what had happened to the neighbor, the celebration that the Leaf House was hosting, that they had to organize another meeting with their friends... when, then, a background music sounded and the lights of the restaurant were darkened, leaving the place illuminated by the candles on the walls and tables, calling the attention of all present:

"Good evening" said the owner of the restaurant, a woman with curly hair and blue eyes "today we celebrate our 600th night since the opening of the restaurant and we want to invite all our dear customers to this slow and romantic dance to celebrate it. Thank you very much for counting on us".

"Cloud, let's dance like the other couples, come on!" said Aerith. He let himself be carried away and the two of them stood up slowly, close to the table. She put her hands on his shoulders and he put them around her waist, as they began to move from right to left to the sound of jazz music.

Aerith looked him in the eye and said:

"Do you remember when you danced with Andrea at the HoneyBee Inn?

The woman couldn't help but giggle as her husband rolled his eyes and the wrinkles on his forehead deepened.

"Hey, I thought that was already forgotten," he replied, with a slight smile.

"Never! You looked so sexy with those moves that day. You surprised me a lot."

"Did I?"

"Of course. Besides, something in my heart told me you were dancing just for me, right, Cloud?"

"Maybe," he answered, with mystery.

"Oh, come on, admit it! You kept looking at me to see how I was cheering for you," she winked at him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he excused, jokingly. She opened her mouth in surprise and shook her head, chuckling slightly.

"Oh, Cloud. You'll always be the same," she said. Aerith let out a sigh and let the music guide her, resting her head on his chest while he wrapped his arms around her, dropping his chin on her crown, losing himself in the smell of flowers and nature that emanated from her gray hair. "Thank you for tonight, Cloud," she muttered.

"A night for a life together. This...this is my way of loving you, of thanking you for holding my hand all my life. You were always there, in the happy moments and in the hard moments and in our eternity, I know you will be there, with your smile," he said, stroking her back. She smiled tenderly, closing her eyes.

"Our eternity started from the moment we met, Cloud. And now that we're two lovely old people, when we leave, we'll still be together, because we'll find each other. Our love is the deepest and most beautiful thing I have ever lived, thank you for so many moments, honey".

The two gave each other a little kiss and continued dancing in their own eternity, enjoying the happiness they had fought for and deserved.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you very much for reading! :D


End file.
